Surface Insect Control for Chicagoland Lawns
Chinch bugs, sod webworms, and other surface-feeding insects can thin and damage your turf quickly – and because they operate at ground level or just below the thatch layer, many homeowners don't identify them as the culprit until significant damage has occurred. Turf 10's surface insect control treatment stops these pests and protects your lawn through the growing season.
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Identifying and Treating Surface-Feeding Insects
Unlike white grubs that damage roots underground, surface-feeding insects live and feed in the thatch layer or at the grass blade level. The most common in the western suburbs include chinch bugs, which pierce grass blades and inject a toxin that causes yellowing and dieback, and sod webworm larvae, which chew grass blades at the soil surface and create irregular thinning patches – particularly noticeable in hot, dry periods.
Because the symptoms – yellowing, irregular thinning, drought-stress-like appearance – closely mimic other common lawn problems, accurate diagnosis is essential before treatment. Our team's 86+ years of combined local experience means we can distinguish surface insect damage from disease, grub activity, or environmental stress accurately, so the right solution is applied the first time.
Surface insect activity tends to escalate during hot, dry stretches in midsummer, when stressed turf has less natural resilience. Lawns on a consistent fertilization program like Turf 10's Premium 6-Application Program are generally more resistant to surface insect pressure, as dense, well-nourished turf is harder for pests to establish in and recover faster when damage does occur.
Often Paired With Surface Insect Control
Grub Control
Address both above and below-ground pest threats – grubs damage roots while surface insects attack the turf from above.
Learn more →Premium 6-Application Program
Dense, well-fed turf from our 6-application program is significantly more resistant to surface insect damage and recovers faster.
See the full program →Lawn Fungicide Application
Surface insect damage creates entry points for fungal disease. Treating both together prevents a secondary problem from developing.
Learn more →Protect Your Lawn From Surface Pests
Serving Naperville, Downers Grove, Wheaton, Hinsdale, Oak Brook, and 26 other communities across the western suburbs of Chicago.